The Science of Pain....
What is Pain?
Pain is more than just a physical sensation—it’s an unpleasant experience that signals your body that something may be wrong. According to the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), pain is “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage.”
In simpler terms, pain is your body’s alarm system. It’s designed to protect you and help you avoid further injury.
The good news is that understanding how pain works can actually help reduce it. Learning about the science behind pain—why it happens, how your nervous system responds, and how your body heals—can give you more control over your experience and improve recovery.
Below are some resources to help you get started on learning more about your pain and ways to manage it effectively.
Educational Resources...
Videos
Professor Lorimer Moseley - Why Things Hurt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwd-wLdIHjs
Professor Peter O'Sullivan - Making Sense of Back Pain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlSQLUE4brQ
The Pain Truth and Nothing But
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPjv97unQu0
Taming the Beast (understand pain)
https://vimeo.com/212350345?ref=fb-share
5 minute pain talk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_3phB93rvI
The Complexity of Pain:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv6RPoVZx9M#action=share
Pain and Me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUXPqphwp2U&sns=em
Knee Pain - Thinking Outside the Joint:
https://www.facebook.com/noigroup/videos/10154427756748527/
Why Your Knees Crack:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/NQOZZgh5z8I
David Butler on Graded Motor Imagery Part 1 (there is also a part 2 and 3 which come up after Part 1)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zWyhpiXy9Ig
What is Graded Motor Imagery
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fWYUJscRBRw
David Butler explains smudging in the brain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QVAY5stO3U&list=PLiHO5DAsV-Ynk0yc6O--m37ZfB2Hslj7k
This page has a few great videos and resources for kids and teens
https://www.painbc.ca/chronic-pain/kids-and-teens
En Français
Comprendre la douleur en 5 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qJuARzD9d4
Prof Peter O'Sullivan - Douleur au dos avec sous-titres en français
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq1GEVBIBAw
Comprendre la douleur en 10 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5YUg45WFDM
La mémoire de la douleur
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT3_gaOjQgg
Trousse à outils contre la douleur
http://www.paintoolkit.org/downloads/PTK_France.pdf
Websites:
Pain Education
Pain BC
Association Québecoise de la douleur chronique
http://www.douleurchronique.org
Pain Tool Kit
NOI Group
http://www.noigroup.com/en/Home
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
https://crps-uk.org/what-is-crps/
Meditation Apps
Articles:
The Problem with an Entirely Structural Based Approach to Low Back Pain:
Books:
Explain Pain
By: Lorimer Moseley
Why Do I Hurt?
By: Adriaan Louw
Understand Pain, Live Well Again
By: Neil Pearson
My Stroke of Insight
By: Jill Bolte-Taylor
When Survivors Give Birth
By: Penny Simkin
Movies:
The Connection